Filament feeding apparatus



Oct. 28, 1958 L. E. DILTS FILAMENT FEEDING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Line Filed Aug. 26, 1955 s e g n 4 w Jw mmwm m MU b Oct. 28, 1958 DlLTs I 2,858,008

FILAMENT FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvesrvlror: Lee E. Dilrbs,

United States Patent FILAMENT FEEDlNG APPARATUS Lee E. Dilts, Cleveland,0hio, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application August 26, 1955, Serial No. 530,712

6 Claims. 01. 198 -33) .on automobiles, indirectly heated cathodes of fluorescent lamps, and the like. The feeding operation provides for the filaments to be fed from a loose collection or aggregation thereof in which they are arranged during transportation, and for the presentation or arrangement of the filaments in a predetermined oriented position enabling them to be readily transferred by automatic means to mounting relation to the leading-in wires of the lamp mounts on whichthe filaments are to be mounted.

One type of filament in common use at present in automobile headlamps comprises a coiled main or center portion in the form of a linear wire coil, and end leg portions of straight wire extending laterally from the coiled main portion in approximately parallel relation. Such filaments are relatively rigid and well adapted to maintain their formed shape. However, the legs of the filament entangle very readily with the coiled portions of other filaments in the loose collection in which the filaments are customarily transported, thereby making the feeding of the individual filaments separately a very difiicult task. Moreover, when used for automobile headlamp service, such type filaments must be arranged more exactly than in the case of filaments used for ordinary lighting service in that the leg portions of the filament must be brought into register with the leads of the lamp in an exact predetermined relation thereto in the course of the filament mounting operation. Also, the separation and loading of such type filaments into the filament mounting machine has heretofore constituted a tedious and exacting manual operation requiring skilled operators and has necessitated the use of two operators to service such mounting machines.

It is an object of my invention therefore to provide automatically operating apparatus for separating and individually feeding lamp filaments of the character described from a loose intermingled collection thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide filament feeding apparatus adapted to receive a loose intermingled collection of a great many filaments of the character described and to feed individual filaments from such a collection at a fairly constant rate and in predetermined oriented position.

Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of the invention the filaments are separated from a loose intermingled collection thereof in a vibrating feeder bowl or drum and are fed one by one from the feeder bowl up a spiral upwardly inclined conveyor track or feed ramp and thence onto a downwardly inclined supply or delivery ramp, the two ramps being of a width to receive and support the filaments in a position astride the ramp with the coiled center portion of the filament resting upon the top surfaces of the ramp and the end legs of the filament depending and hanging down. along the sides of the ramp. According to another aspect of the invention, control means are provided on the apparatus in the form of spaced sets of contact elementslocated at spaced points along the supply ramp to interrupt the operation of the filament feeding means when the line of filamentsstored on the supply ramp is of sufiicient length to cause the rearwardmost filament to contact the rear or upper set of contact elements and to reinitiate the operation of the filament feeding means when the rearwardmost one of the line of filaments on the supply ramp disengages from the front or lower set of contact elements as the line of filaments moves down the ramp.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the following detailed description of species thereof and from the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view of apparatus according to the invention for. feeding lamp filaments to a filament mounting machine.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the filament feeding apparatus according to the invention with the filament feeder bowl and associated feed ramp shown in section along the line 22 of Fig. l. v

Figs. 3 and 4 are segmental perspective views of the filament feeder bowl of the apparatus and showing, respectively, the start of the associated inclined feed ramp and the means for re-distributing the filaments within the bowl. t

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through one of the control means on the inclined supply ramp of the apparatus, the section being on an enlarged scale and showing a lamp filament in operative position relative thereto.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the control means on the inclined supply ramp of the apparatus and showing a filament in operative position relative thereto.

Figs. 7 and 8 are'elevation andplan views, respectively, on an enlarged scale of the escapement and elevating mechanism at the delivery end of the supply ramp of the apparatus, and a Fig. 9 is a segmental perspective view of a modified form of filamentfeeder to the invention.

In its general operation, the filament feeding apparatus shown in the drawing advances single filaments 1 to a delivery position A (Figs. 1 and 7) from a bulk collection or loosely intermingled aggregation of a large number (for example from 1000 to 2000) of the filaments indiscriminately placed or poured into a filament feeder bowl 2 from a transportation container (not shown). The bowl 2 and its associated conveyor track or feed ramp 3 are vibrated in a manner to separate out individ ual filaments 1 from the bulk collection thereof in the bowl and cause a succession thereof to straddle and ride" up the upwardly inclined spiral feed ramp 3 leading from the bottom surface of the bowl. The advancing fila: ments on the feed ramp then pass from the upper end thereof onto the upper end of a downwardly inclined, supply ramp 4. The filaments 1 then slide down the supply ramp 4 under the influence of gravity and are individually fed from the lower end of the supply ramp.

similar to Fig. 3 bowl according and transferred to an elevated delivery position A above and rate of advance of the filaments 1 from the feeder bowl 2 and up the feed ramp 3 is subject to considerable variation, it is desirable that the filaments 1 be delivered.

to the supply ramp 4 at about twice the rate at whic h, they are required by the feeding cycles of the escapement and elevating means 5, and that control means 6 and 7 be placed along the supply ramp 4 to start and stop the vibration, and therefore the filament feeding operation of, the feeder bowl 2 when the quantity of filaments 1 on the supply ramp 4 is at a prescribed minimum or maximum, respectively. The delivery position A of 'the filaments 1 picked up and transferred by the escapement and elevating means is such as to allow the filament feeding apparatus to be used at the filament pick- -up position of one of the transfer arms (not shown) of a filament mounting machine of the type disclosed in -U. S. Patent 2,297,950, Flaws, dated October 6, 1942,

and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

The filaments 1 which are to be fed to the filament mounting machine are poured into the feeder bowl 2 from a bulk supply of the filaments contained in an envelope or other suitable container (not shown), and are usually introduced into the bowl 2 in relatively large quantities of the order of from 1000 to 2000 filaments or thereabouts. Constant vibratory movement of the feeder bowl 2'in both horizontal and vertical directions, i. e.,

in an inclined arcuate path of movement, about the vertical center axis of the bowl, causes the collection of filaments 1 -in the bowl to progressively shift around the bottom 9 thereof in a generally circular path of movement around the bowl (clockwise in the particular case illustrated), and in the course of such movement causes the collection of filaments to untangle and separate out into individual filaments 1. Each filament 1, as shown indetail in Fig. 5, is comprised of a coiled main or center portion 10 in the form of a linear coil, and straight wire end leg portions 11 extending laterally in the same direction from the opposite ends of the linear coil 10 in substantially parallel relation. Because of their particular form, such type filaments are very likely to become entangled with other filaments when initially introduced into the feeder bowl 2. These tangled groups of filaments 1 tend to congregate upon the center portion of the bottom 9 of the feeder bowl 2 because of the lesser extentor shorter stroke of the vibrating movement of such center portion as compared to the outer portions of the bowl. The vibrating movement of the feeder bowl 2 results from the periodic downward pull exerted on the bottom 9 of the spring mounted feeder bowl by an electro-magnet 12 (Fig. 2). illustrated, the feeder bowl 2 is mounted at four spaced points around its periphery upon the upper ends of leaf springs 13 which are fastened to a stationary base 14 and extend diagonally upward therefrom in a direction approximately tangential to the feeder bowl 2. By virtue of this particular spring mounting of the feeder bowl 2, it will accordingly turn about its center axis at the same time it is moved vertically by the action of the electro-magnet 12. As a result, the feeder bowl 2 is vibrated or oscillated in an inclined arcuate path of movement when the electro-magnet 12 is alternately energized and de-energized. The period andextent of the vibrations of the feeder bowl 2 may be varied, within ranges best suited to the separation of the filaments 1 in the bowl, by manual adjustment of a variable resistance unit 15 connected in one of the current supply lines to the electro -magnet 12 which supply lines, as diagrammatically shown in Fig. 2, also include a switching member 16 of'a control switch 17 and a half-wave rectifier 18. The rectifier 18 converts the alternating current of the main current supply leads 19 to the pulsating current or intermittent current pulses required to effect the periodic actuation of the electro-magnet 12. However, the par tic'ular' arrangement shown for energizing theelectromagnet12 represents only one of several different ways which may be employed to effect the proper operation of the .e'lectromagnet.

The single filaments." 1 which are separated out in the feeder bowl 2 from the main collection of filaments therein, graduallyimove outward toward the outer periphery In the particular case 4 of the bottom 9 of the feeder bowl during the vibration thereof, in part because of the crowned form of the central portion of the bottom 9 as shown in Fig. 2, and finally contact the side wall of the inclined spiral conveyor track or feed ramp 3 which, as shown in Fig. 3

raises out of and almost completely encircles the crowned central portion of the bottom 9 of the feeder bowl. The entire collection of filaments 1 within the feeder bowl 2 undergoes a constant movement around the bowl in the direction of the return stroke imparted to the bowl by the leaf springs 13 on de-energization of the electromagnet 12 (clockwise in the particular case illustrated). Upon engaging the conveyor track or feed ramp 3, the filaments 1 in the feeder bowl 2 travel around the conveyor track in engagement therewith until they arrive at a position opposite an opening or doorway 20 in the conveyor track located immediately forward of the region of emergence of the conveyor track from the bottom 9 of the feeder bowl, into which opening 20 thefilaments 1 then enter. Further movement of the filaments 1 then carries them against a fixed partition or guide plate 21 upstanding from the bottom 9 of the bowl and extending across the back of the opening 20 and for a short distance along the lower end of the conveyor track 3( The guide plate 21 directs the filaments 1 engaging therewith onto the sloping lower end of the inclined conveyor track 3 and guides the filaments upwardly along the said conveyor track for a short distance therealong. A large proportion of the filaments 1 thus guided onto the lower end of the conveyor track 3 will be located thereon'in such a manner as to cause one leg 11 of the filament to catch on the inside edge or face of the conveyor track, thereby causing the filament to swing to a cross-wise position on the conveyor track. Consequently, when such cross-wise positioned filaments 1 on the conveyor track 3 pass beyond the end of the guide plate 21 during the movement of the filaments up the conveyor track, the opposite leg 11 of the filaments adjacent the outer side face of the conveyor track falls down over the said outside face of the conveyor track, the other leg of the filament at the inside face of the conveyor track at the same time falling down over the said inside face. As a result, the filaments 1 then assume, and advance up the conveyor track in a position straddling or astride' the said track. The filaments 1 which, as they begin their movement up the conveyor track 3, are not positioned in'a manner such as to cause them to assume a position straddling the conveyor track upon passage beyond the guide plate 21, instead drop off the outer side of the conveyor track into the annular outer channelway 22 of the feeder bowl formed by the outer side of the conveyor track and the annular side wall 23 of the bowl upstanding from the periphery of the bowl bottom 9. The vibration of the feeder bowl 2 causes the filaments 1 within the annular channelway 22 to continue their travel around the feeder bowl within the channelway 22 and finally brings them against a deflector plate 24 (Figs. 1 and 4) upstanding from the bowl bottom 9 and extending angularly inward from the annular wall 23 of the feeder bowl, which deflector plate 24 then directs the filaments through an opening or doorway 25 in the conveyor track 3 back into the center portion of the feeder bowl. A second deflector plate 26 upstanding from the bowl bottom 9 and'extending angularly inward from the conveyor track 3 at a point just forward of the front end of the opening 25 in the conveyor track, directs the filaments 1 moving around the center portion of the feeder bowl along or closely adjacent the inner face of the conveyor track back toward the center of the feeder bowl so as to prevent these filaments from entering the opening 25 or interfering with the re-direction of the filaments 1 in the outer channelway of the bowl back into the center portion of the bowl through the opening 25. Thus the deflectorplate 26, along with the portion of the first full turn of the conveyor track 2 which rests on' the bowl bottom 9, to-

a gether constitute a guide wall means for the filaments, upstanding from the bowl bottom and extending therearound from the point of emergence of the conveyor .track from the bowl bottom to a point spaced a short distance from the said point of emergence of the conveyor track.

The movements of all the filaments 1 in the feeder bowl 2 and on the conveyor track 3 must be maintained at all times, since even a temporary interruption in the movement of any one filament blocks the path of travel of other following filaments and prevents the apparatus from operating in the designed manner. I To assure such continuity of movement of the filaments, it is therefore desirable that all burrs and roughness be removed from the feeder bowl 2, the conveyor track 3, the partition 21 and the deflectors 24 and 26. The top and the side faces of the conveyor track 3 must also present a uniformly smooth surface, so that the filaments 1 will move up the inclined track and about the several turns thereof (three turns in the particular case illustrated) without interruption. In addition, the inclination of the conveyor track 3 and the character of the surfaces thereof are such as to prevent the filaments 1 from sliding back down the incline when the vibration of the feeder bowl and the associated conveyor track is interrupted. As shown, the lowermost turn of the conveyor track 3 is fastened directly to the feeder bowl 2 and takes its vibratory motion directly therefrom, whereas the upper turns of the conveyor track 3 are supported by pins 27 extending from support posts 28 upstanding from the annular side Wall 23 of the feeder bowl.

When the filaments 1 advancing up the inclined conveyor track 3 reach the upper end thereof, they then drop off the said upper end of the conveyor track onto a downwardly inclined supply ramp 4 down which the filaments then slide by reason of their own weight. The supply ramp 4 is separated at its upper end a slight distance from the upper end of the conveyor track 3 in order to be independent of the vibrations of the conveyor track, and it receives the filaments 1 from an extending lip 29 on the conveyor track which overhangs or overlies the upper end of the supply ramp 4. The filaments 1 slide down the supply ramp '4 either directly into engagement with the escapement and elevating means 5 located at the lower end of the supply ramp, or into engagement with the last one of the line of filaments I collected on the supply ramp 4. Normally the line of filaments 1 on the supply ramp 4 extends back beyond thelowermost or forwardmost control means 7 located in the lower portion of the supply ramp 4, and at times will even extend back beyond the uppermost or rearwardmost control means 6 located in the upper portion of the supply ramp 4. Inasmuch as the irregular rate of feeding of the filaments 1 from the feeder bowl 2 necessitates that a reserve supply of filaments be available at all times on the supply ramp 4, the rate of feeding of the filaments 1 from the feeder bowl 2 is therefore preferably controlled so as to equal about twice the rate of their transfer by the escapement and elevating means 5. Accordingly, only a short period of time will elapse, after the filament feeding device is placed in operation, before the filaments I will build up in a line thereof extending back up along the supply ramp 4 to the upper control means 6. At such time, the uppermost filaments 1 in the line thereof on the'supply ramp 4 will rest upon and electrically interconnect the separated and normally insulated side contact plates 30 and 31 of the upper control means 6, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The electrical circuit thus established across the two side plates 30 and 31 of the control means 6 by thefilamentor filaments 1 resting thereon then acts to break the electrical circuit to the electro-magnet 12, thereby interrupting the further vibrationof the feeder bowl 2; This in turn interrupts the feeding of filaments J, from the feeder bowl 2 and the advance of the filaments up the conveyor track 3 to the supply ramp 4. The interruption of the vibration of the feeder bowl 2 and consequent feeding of the filaments 1 up the inclined conveyor track 3 then continues until the line of filaments 1 on the supply ramp 4 has shortened, through the repeated removal and transfer of the filaments off the supply ramp by the escapement and elevating means 5, to an extent such that the uppermost filament 1 in the remaining line of filaments on the supply ramp moves downwardly beyond and out of contact with the side plates 30 and 31 of the lowermost control means 7 so as to no longer complete an electrical circuit between the said side plates 30 and 31. This interruption of the electrical hold circuit across the side plates 30 and 31 of the lowermost control means 7 then acts to once again energize the operating circuit of the electro-magnet 12 and place it in operation so as to vibrate the feeder bowl 2 and the conveyor track 3 to again start the feeding of filaments 1 onto the supply ramp 4.

The upper and lower control means 6 and 7 are both constructed as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, each control means being comprised of the side contact plates 30 and 31 which are located within channeled or cut-out sections of a U-shaped saddle member 32 of suitable insulating material which rests upon and straddles a cut-down section 33 of the supply ramp 4 and is locked therein against movement longitudinally of the supply ramp. The side contact plates 30 and 31 of each control means 6 and 7 are fastened in place on the saddle member 32 by the clamping pressure of a fastening bolt 34 which is electrically insulated from the side contact plates 30 and 31 by insulating washers 35 and which efiects its clamping pressure, in part, by forcing the side contact plates 30 and 31 against a separator block 36 of insulating material. The outer contour of the side contact plates 30 and 31 and the exposed portions of the saddle member 32 conforms to that of the adjacent side and top surface portions of the supplyramp 4 so as to form, in effect, a continuation of such surface portions and thus offer no resistance to the movement of the filaments 1 past the respective control means 6 and 7 during the course of travel of the filaments down the supply ramp. The filaments 1 wipe against or engage the top surface of the side contact plates 30 and 31 with sufiicient pressure to conduct an electrical current between the said contact plates. In the case of the upper control means 6, the presence of a filament 1 across the side contact plates 30 and 31 of such control means 6 completes a normally open electrical control circuit through the low voltage secondary of a transformer 37 and the actuating coil 38 of the control switch 17 in a manner to cause the switching member 16 to interrupt the normally closed. operating circuit for the electro-magnet 12 and thus interrupt the filament feeding operation of the feeder bowl 2. It is essential that the control switch 17 be of a type which is capable of operation by the relatively slight current conducted between the side contact plates 30 and 31 by the filaments 1 when bridging the said plates. Also, the control switch 17 should be of the type or should be associated with means, such as a time-delay relay, which will cause the switch 17 to operate only when the control circuit between the side contact plates 30 and 31 is maintained closed for an appreciable time interval, as when a filament 1 lies at rest thereon. In this way, the momentary electrical circuit established across the side contact plates 30 and 31 of the upper control means 6 by a filament 1 sliding rapidly thereacross is not of suflicient duration to cause the control switch 17 to operate.

The actuation of the control switch 17 through the completion of the electrical control circuit across the side contact plates 30, 31 of the upper control means 6 by the filament 1 bridging the said contact plates also acts to shift the second switching member 39 of the [control switch so as to complete. a normally open hold circuit to the actuating coil 38 of the control switch, across the side contact plates 30, 31 of the lower control means 7, which contact plates are bridged at such time by the lineof filaments I collected on the supply ramp 4.

- Since the establishment of this hold circuit to the control switch 17 is dependent uponthe presence of a filament 1 across the side contact plates 30, 31 of the lower control means 7, the open-circuit position of the control switch 17 and resultant non-operation of the electromagnet 12 will therefore continue as long as filaments 1 are present on the supply ramp 4 across the contact plates'3ti, 31 of the lower control means 7.

When, during the ensuing period of inoperation of the electro-magnet 12 and feeder bowl 2 andconsequent interruption in the feeding of filaments 1 onto the supply ramp 4, a sufficient number of filaments 1 have been removed from the supply ramp by the operation of the escapernentand elevating means 5 to clear the portion of the supply ramp extending between and occupied by the control means 6 and 7, the hold circuit to the actuating coil 33 is then interrupted across the side contact plates and 31 of the lower control means 7, thereby permitting the switching members 16 and 39 to shift control means 6. To prevent the line of filaments on the supply ramp from climbing over each other and becoming entangled, a guide rod 40 is mounted in spaced overlying relation to the supply ramp 4 and extends therealong from the lower end of the supply ramp upwardly beyond the upper control means 6. As shown, the guide rod 40 is spaced from the upper surface of the supply ramp 4 a distance slightly greater than the outside coil diameter of the coiled main portion 10 of the filaments 1.

The escapement and elevating means 5 which is provided at the lower end of the supply ramp 4 operates to pick up and transfer the filaments 1 one at a time from the lower end of the supply ramp 4 to an elevated delivery position A (Fig. 7). The escapement and elevating means 5 preferably has a timed period of operation such as to raise the individual filaments to the delivery position A at the proper moment for use. When the filament feeding device of the invention is associated with or incorporated in a filament mounting machine such as disclosed in the aforementioned Flaws Patent 2,297,950, the delivery position A to which the filaments are carried by the elevating means 5 is then the pick-up position of the filaments by the transfer means of the mounting machine, which transfer means then carries the filaments to one of the work stations of the mounting machine. In such case, also, the escapement and elevating means 5 is operated in synchronism with the operation of the filament-mounting machine, preferably by cam means corresponding to that shown in the above Flaws patent and operated by the main drive shaft of the machine.

The escapement and elevating or transfer means 5 may be of the type described and claimed in co-pending Tyler et al. application Serial No. 527,343, filed August 9, 1955, and comprising a transfer member or slide bar 41 disposed in a vertically inclined position across and in engagement with the lower end of the supply ramp 4 within an end 'slot'42 (Fig. 7) therein and longitudinally reciprocalbetween upper and lower limiting positions within slidew'ays in a block43 fastened to an upstanding stationary support bracket 44. At their lower ends, the

, supply ramp '4 and the associated guide rod'40 are fixedly held in proper position relative to oneanother and to the transfer slide41 by a suitable'clamp 45 fastened to the support block 43. The transfer slide 41 is longitudinally reciprocable to elevate it from a lowered or filament pick-up position to a raised or filament delivery position for pick-up of the filament in the transfer slide by the transfer means (not shown) of the associated filament mounting machine. In each cycle of operation of the escapement and elevating means 5, the transfer slide 41 receives the lowermost filament 1 on the supply ramp 4 and elevates it to the filament pick-up position of the transfer means and, after pick-up of the filament by the transfer means, then returns to its lowered position for the start of another cycle of operation.

The transfer slide 41 is provided at its upper end with a filament-receiving notch or pocket 46 in the side face or edge 47 thereof which is contiguous to and in substantial engagement with the lower end of the supply ramp 4. The notch 46 in the transfer slide 41 is just large enough to accommodate only one filament 1 at a time. As a result, when the transfer slide 41 returnstO its lowermost position, wherein the bottom surface 48 of the notch 46 is aligned with the' upper surface 49 of the supply ramp 4, only the lowermost filament l on the supply ramp slides down into the notch, the remaining filaments 1 in the line thereof on the supply ramp remaining in place thereon. Upon sliding of the lowermost filament 1 on the supply ramp 4 into the notch 46 in the transfer slide 41, the said filament assumes a definite position with respect to the transfer means of the associated mounting machine, with the legs 11 of the filament disposed vertically by reason of the engagement of the leg 11 atone end of the filament witha stop pin 50 projecting from the side of the transfer slide 41. Because of the upward inclination of the bottom surface 48 and the vertical disposition of the side surface 51 of the filament-receiving notch 46, the filament 1 located in the notch 46 is normally retained in position therein during the subsequently occurring upward movement of the transfer slide 41 to elevate the filament to its pick-up position by the transfer means of the mounting machine. 1 i

The transfer slide 41 is reciprocated, in timed relation to the operation of the associated mount machine, by suitable actuating means such as an operating lever (not shown) pivotally connected to the lower end iof the transfer slide. When the transfer slide 41 is elevated to its upper limiting position, as indicated in dot-dash lines in Fig. 7, it is then retained in such elevated position until the filament 1 in the notch 46 is removed therefrom by the transfer means of the mount machine.

To prevent the line of filaments 1 on the supply ramp 4 from being disturbed thereon by the tendency of the transfer slide 41 to also lift the lowermost filament on the ramp off the latter on the upward stroke of the transfer slide, the guide rod 40 is extended at its lower end to a point overlying the lowermost filament on the supply ramp so as to hold it down in place on the ramp. For this purpose, also, the angular mounting of the transfer slide 41 relative to the supply ramp 4 is such that the angle subtended by the top surface 49 of the supply ramp and the front or filament-engaging face 47 of the transfer slide, when elevated, is or greater. In addition, the guide rod 40 extends to a point sufficiently close to the filament 1 located in the notch 46 of the transfer slide 41, when the latter is in its lowered position, to prevent the succeeding filaments on the supply ramp 4 from climbing over the filament located in the transfer slide notch 46. To this end, the lower end of the guide rod 40 is located so as to just clear the filament 1 in the transfer slide notch 46 as well as the front edge or face'47 of the transfer slide during the upward movement of the'filament by the transfer slide. At its upper end, the support bracket 44 is provided with a guide opening 52 with which the transfer means of the associated mount machine registers to locate the said transfer means in proper filament pick-up position relative to the transfer slide 41 when in its elevated position.

Although a preferred embodiment of my invention has been disclosed, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown but that they may be widely modified within the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims. Thus, instead of the particular arrangement shown in Figs. 1-4 of the inclined conveyor track 3 and the guide and deflector plates 21, 24 and 26, the conveyor track 3 may be spaced from the bowl bottom 9, from a point beyond the first halfturn or so of the conveyor track to allow freedom of movement of the filaments 1 on the bowl bottom underneath the conveyor track, and a single guide plate 53 (as shown in Fig. 9) provided on the feeder bowl 2, upstanding from the bottom thereof and located just in front of the start of the conveyor track and extending angularly inward from the annular side wall 23 of the feeder bowl to a point adjacent the start of the conveyor track.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: j

1. Apparatus for feeding lamp filaments, each having a coiled center portion and approximately parallel end leg portions extending laterally therefrom, in succession from a loose collection of said filaments, comprising a feeder bowl having a slightly crowned bottom with an upstanding annular side wall for receiving the loose collection of filaments, a helical conveyor track emerging from the bottom of said bowl at a point adjacent the periphery thereof and disposed approximately concentric therewith, said conveyor track rising out of the bottom of the bowl and having a width slightly less than the spacing of the filament legs and being spaced inwardly from the side wall of said bowl so as to permit free movement of the filaments up the track in a position astride the same, a guide plate upstanding from the bottom of the bowl and extending toward the emergence of said track from the bowl bottom and approximately tangentially to the outer side of the track at its point of emergence from the bottom of the bowl, the said conveyor track resting on the bottom of said bowl throughout at least approximately the first half turn of the track, and vibrating means supporting and effecting vibratory oscillation of said bowl in an inclined arcuate path of movement corresponding to the direction of inclination of said conveyor track to cause the filaments in the bowl to separate out and gradually shift outward on the bottom of the bowl into engagement with the inward side of the track and to move around the bowl so that the filaments advance in succession along the inward sides of the track and said guide plate and thence up the track into a position astride the track.

2. Apparatus for feeding lamp filaments, each having a coiled center portion and approximately parallel end leg portions extending laterally therefrom, in succession from a loose collection of said filaments, comprising a feeder bowl having a slightly crowned bottom with an upstanding annular side wall for receiving the loose collection of filaments, a helical conveyor track emerging from the bottom of said bowl at a point adjacent the periphery thereof and disposed approximately concentric therewith, said conveyor track rising out of the bottom of the bowl and having a width slightly less than the spacing of the filament legs and being spaced inwardly from the side wall of said bowl so as to permit free movement of the filaments up the track in a position astride the same, guide wall means including said conveyor track upstanding from the bottom of the bowl throughout the portion of the first full turn of the track from its point of emergence from the bowl bottom around to a point spaced a short distance from the said point of emeri 10 gence, the bottom of said conveyor track being spaced fromthe bowl bottom throughout the remaining portion of its first full turn to provide a. passageway underneath the track for movement of the filaments on the bowl bottom into substantial alignment with the start of the conveyor track, a guide plate upstanding from the bottom of the bowl and extending acrossand closing off said passageway at the outward side of said conveyor track, said guide plate also extending along and flush with the outward side of said track for a short distance beyond the point of emergence of the track from the bowl bottom, and vibrating means supporting and effecting vibratory oscillation of said bowl in an inclined arcuate path of movement correspondingto the direction of inclination of said conveyor track to cause the filaments in the bowl to separate out and gradually shift outward on the bottom of the bowl into engagement with the inward side of the track and to move around the bowl so that the filaments advance in succession alongthe inward sides of the track and said guide plate and thence up the track into a position astride the track.

3. Apparatus for feeding lamp filaments, each having a coiled center portion and approximately parallel end leg portions extending laterally therefrom, in succession from a loose collection of said filaments, comprising a feeder bowl having a slightly crowned bottom with an upstanding annular side wall for receiving the loose collection of filaments, a helical conveyor track emerging from the bottom of said bowl at a point adjacent the periphery thereof and disposed approximately concentric therewith, said conveyor track rising out of the bottom of the bowl and having a width slightly less than the spacing of the filament legs and being spaced inwardly from the side wall of said bowl so as to permit free movement of the filaments up the track in a position astride the same, guide wall means including said conveyor track upstanding from the bottom of the bowl throughout the portion of the first full turn of the track from its point of emergence from the bowl bottom around to a point spaced a short distance from the said point of emergence, the bottom of said conveyor track being spaced from the bowl bottom throughout the remaining portion of its first full turn to provide a passageway underneath the track for movement of the filaments on the bowl bottom into substantial alignment with the start a bottom opening therein, located an appreciable distance around the track from its point of emergence from v the bowl bottom, for the passage of filaments through the said opening from the portion of the bowl bottom outwardly of the conveyor track to the portion inwardly of the said track, vibrating means supporting and effecting vibratory oscillation of said bowl in an inclined arcuate path of movement corresponding to the direction of inclination of said conveyor track to cause the filaments to separate out and gradually shift outward on the bowl bottom into engagement with the inward side of the track and to move around the bowl so that the filaments advance in succession along the inward side of and thence up the track where a proportion of the filaments then take a position astride the track and the remainder of the filaments drop off the outward side of the track back down onto the bowl bottom, and a deflector plate upstanding from the bowl bottom and extending angularly inward from the side wall of said bowl through the said opening in the conveyor track to direct the filaments moving around the portion of the bowl bottom outwardly of the track back through the said opening and into the portion of the bowl bottom inwardly of the track.

4. Apparatus for feeding lamp filaments, each having a coiled center portion and approximately parallel end leg portions extending laterally therefrom, in succession from a loose collection of said filaments, comprising a feeder bowl having a slightly crowned bottom with an upstanding annular side wall for receiving the loose collec- 11 tion of filaments, a helical conveyor track emerging from the bottom of said bowl at a point adjacent the periphery thereof and disposed approximately concentric therewith, said conveyor track having a width slightly less than the spacing of the filament legs and being spaced inwardly from the side Wall of said bowl so as to permit free movement of the filaments up the track in a position astride the track, vibrating means supporting and eifecting vibratory oscillation of said bowl in an inclined arcuate path of movement corresponding to the direction of inclination of said conveyor track to cause the filaments in the bowl to separate out therein and progressively advance up the conveyor track in a position astride the track, a downward sloping supply ramp having a width corresponding to that of the conveyor track and arranged to receive the filaments from the upper end of the conveyor track in a a position astride the ramp, said ramp having an inclination sufiicient to cause the filaments to slide down the ramp of their own weight, and control means located along said supply ramp and including an electrical control circuit operative to render the said vibrating means inoperative when a predetermined number of filaments is collected on the supply ramp and to restore the vibrating means to its operative condition when the number of filav by said control circuit to interrupt the operation of said vibrating means when said control circuit is established. 5. Apparatus as specified in claim 4 wherein the said control means comprises a normally closed electrical operating circuit for said vibrating means and a normally open electrical control circuit operative to interrupt said operating circuit when said control circuit is closed, said control circuit including spaced insulated contacts arranged on said conveyor track in position to be bridged electrically by the filaments on said supply ramp, when the said predetermined number of filaments has collected thereon, to thereby close said control circuit.

6. Apparatus as specified in claim 4 wherein the said control means comprises a normally closed electrical op erating circuit for said vibrating means, a normally open electrical control circuit operative to interrupt said operating circuit when said control circuit is closed, two sets of insulated contacts arranged on said conveyor track at spaced points therealong in position to be bridged electrically by the filaments on said supply ramp, said control circuit including the uppermost set of said contacts and being closed when said uppermost set of contacts is bridged electrically by the filaments on said supply ramp, and a normally open electrical hold circuit including the lowermost set of said contacts, said control circuit being also operative to close said hold circuit when said control circuit is closed and said hold circuit being operative upon closure to maintain said operating circuit interrupted as long as the filaments on said supply ramp electrically bridge the lowermost set of said contacts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 599,904 Kempshall Mar. 1, ,1898 2,176,659 Mundy Oct. 17, 1939 2,337,667 'Kuehlman Dec. 28, 1943 2,359,384 Poole et al. Oct. 3, 1944 2,546,866 Overly Mar. 27, 1951 2,718,957 Spurlin "3-.."; Sept. 27, 1955 

